Coastguards believe they may have heard a man fall into the sea to his death yesterday as he raised the alarm about a drowning friend.

The 23-year-old caller dialled 999 at around 4.30am to report his mate had been thrown into the water as storms battered Blackpool.

The man's body was later found washed up on a beach. His friend is still missing. It is thought they were on a night out.

A spokesman said: "During the call, personnel heard the informant apparently fall into the sea himself, at which point the line cleared." Raging seas and 70mph winds meant a lifeboat or helicopter could not be sent immediately.

A French fisherman drowned on Friday night when he was swept from trawler Monbijou which got into difficulties in the Channel.

Rescuers were hunting for a women feared thrown overboard from an Isle of Wight ferry sailing to Southampton.

The storm downed trees and caused flooding and power cuts across Devon. A St John Ambulance crew narrowly escaped injury when a tree crashed on to the roof of their ambulance at Esher rugby club, Surrey.

Ray Pennock said: "You've never seen four St John people get out of an ambulance so quickly in your life."

The Solent coastguard said: "For a short period the wind went up to about 73mph."

Surfer Duncan Scott, 29, of Newquay, Cornwall, defied warnings to ride 55ft waves in Donegal Bay, the highest recorded off Ireland's west coast. He had jet skiers on hand in case he got into difficulties.

Forecasters predict more wet and windy weather as a large depression over the Atlantic is expected to hit Britain tomorrow or Wednesday.